Computer networks, and in particular Wide Area Networks (WANs) such as the Internet, provide opportunities for the misuse and abuse of communications traveling thereover. For example, two users (e.g., a human user and an enterprise server) communicating via the WAN may have their communications intercepted and/or altered. Also, it is possible for one user to misrepresent his, her, or its identity to another user.
Thus, there is a need for both privacy and authentication between users of the network communicating with one another. In other words, users should be able to rely on the fact that their transmissions will not be intercepted or altered, and that transmissions from someone purporting to be a particular user do in fact originate from that user.
In many secure communication applications, a seed is required in order to perform certain cryptographic operations such as encryption, decryption, authentication, etc. The seed may comprise, by way of example, a symmetric key or other secret shared by two or more entities.
One such application is in authentication tokens, such as the RSA SecurID® authentication token commercially available from RSA, The Security Division of EMC, of Bedford, Mass., U.S.A. (“RSA Security”) The RSA SecurID® authentication token is used to provide two-factor authentication. Authorized users are issued individually-registered tokens that generate single-use token codes, which change based on a time code algorithm. For example, a different token code may be generated every 60 seconds. In a given two-factor authentication session, the user is required to enter a personal identification number (PIN) plus the current token code from his or her authentication token. This information is supplied to an authentication entity. The authentication entity may be a server or other processing device equipped with RSA ACE/Server® software, available from RSA Security. The PIN and current token code may be transmitted to the authentication entity via an encryption agent equipped with RSA Authentication Manager software, also available from RSA Security. If the PIN and current token code are determined to be valid, the user is granted access appropriate to his or her authorization level. Thus, the token codes are like temporary passwords that cannot be guessed by an attacker, with other than a negligible probability.
Authentication tokens and other security devices are examples of modern mobile computing devices that include advanced logic devices that have power consumption characteristics.
Many efforts of research and development are dedicated to increasing the life and performance of rechargeable batteries for mobile computing devices. There are known tools in the market that provide recharging of batteries for mobile electronic devices. For example, there are devices that are capable of recharging the battery of electronic devices by converting the solar energy to electrical energy.
Presently, there are certain devices available that use relatively high frequency and/or impact energy to charge batteries or capacitors. Energy pulses from these devices may be at significant voltage levels and may be converted into useable charge energy with simple rectification.